The choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity was measured in numerous discrete brain nuclei of DOCA-Salt hypertensive rats. Three control groups were employed. These rats received either 1) normal drinking water, no DOCA, 2) saline (1 percent) drinking water, no DOCA 3) normal drinking water plus DOCA. Changes in the ChAT activity of the dorsomedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (20 percent decline) and the intermediate portion of the nucleus tractus solitarius (31 percent increase) were found in the DOCA-salt hypertensive rats compared to the normotensive control rats. In addition, a decline in the ChAT activity of the supraoptic nucleus was noted in the 2 groups of salt treated rats. The former changes are likely related to the elevated BP while the latter appear to be a response to chronic salt treatment rather than elevated BP.